Responding to east Luton’s lack of green space Councillor Andy Malcolm, who is chairman of London Luton Airport Limited said “We have to use what we have, we are surrounded by countryside and all we have to do is jump in the car & drive to it”.
This was the stunning answer given at a public meeting in February, to concerns about the proposed destruction and act of vandalism to the 70-acre Wigmore Valley Park. Yes – that means destruction of OUR park, which has county wildlife status and is one of the last wild areas of Luton.
Stunned audience members were left shocked and reeling at what appeared to be the official council position.
After presentations by Cllr Andy Malcolm, Chief Executive Laura Church and Corporate Director Robin Porter, a sceptical audience asked questions. All of the council officials and councillors were left floundering for answers, as simple questions were either ignored or unsatisfactory answers were given. It was clear that that they had no idea of what impact more than doubling of Luton Airport would cause (or were not prepared to tell the audience, given that the council has a long history of hiding the truth).
It was also confirmed that – despite breaching the council’s own adopted local plan – there are still plans to put in an Eaton Green link road, thus causing Ashcroft Road, Wigmore Lane and Eaton Green Road to act as a major access route for Terminal 2 for traffic coming from the A505 and the A1M.
The council clearly recognises that with the A1081 from the M1 at a standstill at peak times (despite carrying less than half the passengers for the proposed supersized airport) and with traffic from the A505 and A1M feeding into the Airport via Old Airport Way, they have no choice but to force traffic to use the local road network, thus increasing pollution to levels of toxicity never experienced before.
With an increasing number of car satellite systems programmed to avoid traffic congestion, local villages are also expected to see their streets and country lanes turned into rat runs, as car navigation systems try to avoid gridlocked local Luton residential areas.
So – do you live locally? Do you want to see Ashcroft Road, Wigmore Lane and Eaton Green Road become major access roads to Luton Airport’s terminal two? Do you want to see the streets and country roads around our local villages reach traffic congestion gridlock?
No?
Then please join our Facebook group, Luton Airport Expansion SLAE, which you might also want to join, particularly if you live outside Luton.